Muay Thai (ONE Championship)·Combat Sports

ONE Championship

🏛️Official — ONE Championship

ONE Championship Muay Thai Rules· 2026 ONE Championship Muay Thai Rules — 4-oz MMA-style open-fingered gloves, 3-round x 3-minute format, all 8 limbsOpen source

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Section 1: Introduction

Muay Thai under ONE Championship is the modernized professional ruleset operated by the Singapore-based ONE FC promotion (founded by Chatri Sityodtong in 2011). ONE's Muay Thai division uses 4-ounce MMA-style open-fingered gloves (lighter than traditional 8-ounce boxing gloves used in Thailand), 3 rounds × 3 minutes (vs Thai-traditional 5 rounds × 3 minutes), and Western-influenced 10-point-must scoring with emphasis on damage + ring generalship. The result is a more knockout-friendly format that has helped grow Muay Thai's global pro fight scene. ONE Championship sits alongside Thai-traditional venues like Lumpinee, Rajadamnern, and World Muaythai Council (WMC) events in the global pro Muay Thai ecosystem.

Section 2: Equipment

4-oz MMA-style fingerless gloves — open palm (distinct from traditional 8-10oz Thai boxing gloves)
Mouthguard: mandatory
Groin protector: mandatory (men); chest protector for women
No shin guards in professional matches
Mongkol (sacred headband, removed before fighting): traditional Thai pre-fight blessing element
Prajied (arm bands): traditional, kept on during fight
Short trunks; barefoot competition
Wai Khru (pre-fight dance) is honored at ONE Championship's Thai-spirit-event format

Section 3: Playing Area

Ring: square boxing-style ring (typically 6m × 6m to 7m × 7m), 4 roped sides, padded canvas floor
Distinct from MMA cage — fighters bounce off ropes
Mandatory padded turnbuckle corners
Ring elevation and lighting per arena standard

Section 4: Players & Officials

Two competitors per match
Weight classes (Men, kg): Strawweight, Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight (ONE-specific scaling)
Women's divisions: Atomweight, Strawweight, Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight
Officials: 1 in-ring referee + 3 judges + ringside physician + ONE Championship commission inspector

Section 5: Rules of Play

Match Length

3 rounds × 3 minutes (60-second rest between rounds)
Championship fights: 5 rounds × 3 minutes

Eight Limbs of Muay Thai

Punches (closed fist)
Kicks (legs, body, head)
Knee strikes (clinch + flying)
Elbow strikes (clinch range)

Clinch

Clinch fighting permitted — fundamental to Muay Thai
Knees + elbows in clinch are legal and heavily scored
Sweeps from clinch (without slamming) are legal

Permitted Sweeps

Foot sweeps + reaps to bring opponent down (with feet only, no judo throws)
Holding+slamming explicitly prohibited

Knockdowns + Knockouts

Standing 10-count for knockdowns
3-knockdown rule per round: 3 knockdowns = TKO
KO + TKO via stoppage = total victory

Section 6: Scoring

10-Point Must scoring (boxing-style)
Judges weight: damage dealt, ring generalship, clean strikes, aggression, defense
Distinct from Thai-traditional scoring (which weights ring-walking, technique purity, dominance late in the fight); ONE's Westernized scoring favors knockout-attempting aggression
Championship titles awarded per weight class; ONE Muay Thai World Champion belt

Section 7: Violations & Penalties

Illegal strikes: head-butts, back-of-head, throat, spine, eye-poke, groin → warning → point deduction → DQ
Slamming opponent from clinch: DQ
Hitting on the break: warning → point deduction
Holding-and-hitting (excessive): warning → break
Unsportsmanlike conduct / corner-man interference: point deduction → DQ
Anti-doping: ONE Championship anti-doping policy; WADA-aligned testing

Section 8: Safety Considerations

Muay Thai is full-contact 8-limb striking with elevated injury risk (KO, lacerations, fractures, joint trauma from kicks/elbows). ONE Championship mandates: comprehensive pre-fight medical (neurological, cardiac, ophthalmological, MRI for major bouts), ringside physician with stoppage authority, on-site EMT + ambulance + medical team, AED in arena. Post-fight medical assessment. KO triggers automatic medical suspension (minimum 30-60 days, neurological clearance required). Concussion protocol per ONE medical guidelines. Mandatory weigh-in + IV-fluid prohibition (ONE was first major promotion to ban dangerous weight-cutting practices). Hydration testing + day-of-fight weight checks.

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